Cage
by Aoi-Kitsune
Summary: [ONESHOT] She decided she would wait for that day. The day she would finally be free from her cage.


**Disclaimer:** Blood+ belongs to their respective owners.

- - - - -

She had always sat there, in the dark, little corner furthest from any sunlight, with her knees to her chest, in the dismal room that was inexplicably her 'home'. She had never liked her home; she despised it. It was always cold and gloomy. Even the warmth from the sunbeams splashing onto the stone floor in a myriad of gold from across the room could not warm the room. Although she knew it was pointless, she pulled the tattered, moth-eaten cloak tighter around her frail and sickly thin body to absorb whatever minuscule warmth it had.

Her throat was parched, her lips dry and her stomach growling, it had been many days and nights since she was given any food or drink. But then again, she had always been given insufficient and diminutive amounts of food needed to supply her body with the nutrients and quell her hunger. And the last time she was served anything, she was certain she saw something move in the liquid. She had ignored her common sense and drunk it, hoping it would fill her stomach at least for a while but what she got was a severe stomach upset for the remainder of the week.

For the past few days, she had started to dream about being free. Free from her home. Free from her cage. She dreamt of exploring and traveling the vast world outside to relinquish whatever burdens she had. It was only a dream she had often told herself, a dream that would never come true. She would forever be confined between the cursed stone walls and never to see the world or bask in its glory.

She heard footsteps outside her room, and the lock clicked. She brought her head up to the only door connecting her to the outside world as it opened. She saw them, her caretaker with another older man behind him. She gazed at their features with her dull sapphire eyes. She didn't really know either of them, but the older man - what was his name again? He didn't visit her as often as the other man did, only visiting when he wanted more 'samples' for their so-called 'experiments'. She was a test-subject, she knew as much as that. But why her? And why not other people?

She watched languidly as her caretaker walked closer to her withered form, closing the distance between them. She raised her head above as he came to a stop, standing above her. He grabbed her frail arm forcefully making her flinch from the sudden pain. She knew what he was going to do, but she didn't struggle. Struggling would make the pain even worse. He took out a hypodermic syringe from his coat pocket, injecting the small needle into her arm. She winced as the needle penetrated the fragile pale skin on her arm, the pain amplified from her malnutrition. She stared at the syringe, slowly filling itself up with thick crimson fluid, her blood.

After her caretaker had withdrew the amount of her body fluid he found satisfactory, he pocketed the syringe and made his way back to his companion. She heard them speaking but she paid no attention to them or what they were saying, her concentration on the stinging pain in her arm.

All the more reason why she wanted to be free from her solitary confinement, so she wouldn't be tested on and feel the excruciating pain when they 'experimented' on her. She heard their footsteps, the creaking of the door and the finality of the lock clicking, signaling she was once again alone in the cold room.

- - - - -

She gazed longingly at the birds flying in the clear azure sky, chirping merrily from the opening in her room. She could see white fluffy clouds in the sky and the sun rising into the sky, illuminating anything under its rays. She watched the birds quietly, unconsciously fingering the blue rose she had plucked from the sill. She wished she were like them. They were free to fly anywhere in the world and see its marvels with their own feathered wings, while she was imprisoned in this horrid room.

As she watched the birds chirp joyfully, she felt happier and contented, it was as if she was free just like the birds above. She didn't know she had started singing, but she couldn't care less if anyone heard her. It had been a while since she had sung the aria she had composed and perfected herself. The aria she composed was flawless and harmonic for she had plentiful amounts of time in the tower to practice, practice and practice.

She heard footsteps outside the tower and faltered in her song when a feminine voice stated, "I like your voice."

She had not once received a compliment or praise, not even from her caretaker, about her singing or anything she did. And here, a lady complimented her. She had been isolated from society for all her life and she certainly didn't know what to do, was she to ignore the innocent compliment or to reply the lady? She peered out of the window and found a young girl below her, looking directly at her window.

"T-thank you. I like your voice too."

She didn't expect the girl to reply, as she expected the girl to just walk off and leave her than actually converse with her. But she was surprised when the girl replied, "Let's be friends!" Friends? Did the girl say she wanted to be friends…with her?

"My name's Saya. What's yours?"

"…N-name?"

Her enthusiasm to become friends was silenced just by a mere word. What was her name? Did she have one? She never asked her caretaker what her name was, and even if she did ask, she was certain he could not answer her. She was frightened to think what the young girl would say if she told her, she was nameless. Would she laugh at her? Ridicule her, ostracize her?

"You don't have a name?"

She winced and prepared herself for the onslaught of teasing and mockery. But it never came. She heard the girl's footsteps on the cobblestones below and she thought she had left, deciding not to be friends with a nameless girl. She sank down to her knees and sat there, fingering the blue rose, greatly saddened by the turn of events.

"Then we'll have to think of a name for you!"

She was startled out of her musings by the exclamation, and instantly looked below for the girl. The girl was still there, sitting on the cobblestones, she didn't leave.

"I know!" She watched as the girl stood up and turned around to face the tower. "Your name will be Diva!" The girl exclaimed gleefully.

She was almost uncertain and mimicked the girl, "Di-va?"

The girl below nodded, "Yes! Diva the princess with the beautiful singing voice!"

She was thrilled, not only did she have a friend, but also she had a name. Diva. She liked, no, loved it and gazed below at the smiling young girl. She decided to give the young girl a present in return for her name. But what could she give? She scanned her room and found nothing presentable to a noble young lady, until her eyes rested on the blue rose she had picked on the floor. Quickly picking it up, and making sure it wasn't crumpled or torn, she dropped it below to young lady, while quietly whispering to the wind, "Thank you…"

- - - - -

It had been many days since she had been named Diva, and the girl, Saya, had been her friend. Every day, Saya would visit her, sit below the tower and tell her stories. Fairy tales, historical facts, everything that Saya knew, she knew. She had particularly grown fond of the fairy tale of a girl who was locked up in the tower by a wicked witch and was later rescued by a prince. One particularly sunny and breezy day, she had requested Saya to recount the tale to her, and Saya had of course complied.

"-and they lived happily ever after. The end."

She had been thinking, musing and hoping that maybe she was just like the girl in the tower. She glanced below at Saya, dusting her dress of any dust or dirt.

"S-saya?"

"Hmm? What is it Diva?"

"Do you think…that maybe one day…"

"One day what?"

"…A prince will rescue me from this tower…?"

"Of course! I'm sure of it!"

She smiled contemplatively. Saya had always been there to cheer her up whenever she was depressed or sad. Saya was so very optimistic, and sometimes she wished she could be down there with her to talk to her instead of being ten feet above her.

"Saya! Where are you?"

She heard a voice; it belonged to a man, shouting in the distance. She heard Saya gasp and her attention was immediately drawn back to Saya.

"I'm sorry, Diva! I have to go, I'll see you tomorrow, alright? Good-bye!"

"Good-bye, Saya."

She watched as Saya dash across the courtyard, holding her dress, until she could not see her anymore. Later that night, as she curled up in her corner with the same tattered cloak around her to sleep, she hoped what Saya had said was true. Maybe a prince would come, eventually, and rescue her from this tower and take her somewhere where they would live in perfect happiness.

She decided she would wait for that day. The day she would finally be free from her cage.

- - - - -

**A.N:** Criticism is much encouraged but no flames please.


End file.
